Page 446 - Week 01 - Thursday, 11 December 2008
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Standing orders—suspension
Motion (by Ms Gallagher) agreed to, with the concurrence of an absolute majority:
That so much of the standing and temporary orders be suspended as would prevent the adjournment debate for today continuing past 30 minutes.
Adjournment
Motion by Ms Gallagher proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
Valedictory
MR STANHOPE (Ginninderra—Chief Minister, Minister for Transport, Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Minister for Business and Economic Development, Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Minister for the Arts and Heritage) (10.29): I wish very much, on behalf of the government, the Labor Party, on behalf of my colleagues, some of whom are no longer here this evening—on behalf of each of us—to extend season’s wishes most particularly to everybody in the chamber, colleagues, all MLAs, the Leader of the Opposition, the Parliamentary Convenor of the Greens, their Liberal and Green colleagues respectively and, indeed, all of my colleagues.
It has been a difficult period. Elections are tough and rough and are the most difficult part of politics, particularly in relation to relationships. They are quite testing and hard. None of us here would deny the toll and the price of an election year, an election campaign. It is hard on us individually, though we sometimes pretend otherwise, but it is. They are difficult, hard, sapping experiences and I certainly acknowledge that.
I acknowledge the difficulties inherent in political life and the difficulties inherent for those of us engaged in the process in maintaining relationships. It is appropriate, however, two weeks out from Christmas, this last sitting day of 2008, the first sitting week of a new four-year term, to acknowledge that and to acknowledge, however, our roles—the need for us as representatives of the people to certainly exhibit a certain standard in relation to our commitment to standards in our representative and leadership roles.
In that sense, I congratulate again each of you, colleagues, on your election and for the very significant and important role which I and each of you play. And I do genuinely and in a heartfelt way, on my behalf and on behalf of each of my colleagues, extend most particularly to you, Mr Seselja, as Leader of the Opposition, my best wishes for Christmas to you and your family and similarly to each of your colleagues. I similarly extend my best wishes to Ms Hunter as Parliamentary Convenor of the Greens, and to each of her colleagues from the Greens my best wishes for the season. Similarly, I thank all our staffs, respectively, of all members of the Assembly, those that we rely on in our day-to-day work.
I most certainly on my own behalf—and I am sure I speak for those of my colleagues who will not take the opportunity to speak in this adjournment debate—acknowledge
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